E

‘E’ is among the most brazenly progressive Enslaved records. Experimental keyboard passages, abrupt shifts in tempo and frequent bursts of those aggressive riffs, instantly reminding us of their Viking metal roots. Basically, art rock to symphonic prog to post-metal like atmosphere is effortlessly brewed with some inhuman screams. Not to mention the use of flute, a surprising jazz segment and a Norwegian electronic synth-pop cover.

Without completely abandoning their sonic extremity, Enslaved has carefully adopted some avant-garde progressiveness. Within these uncharted fields, it’s not surprising that they sometimes lurch between sheer greatness to downright peculiar. But for long time listeners there is nothing unexpected here. The band continues to walk their chosen path – constructing a curiously rich, polarizing, and at times uneven mosaic of progressive symphonies.